1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a strap fastener for releasably connecting a strap, cord or belt on a garment article such as a bag, sack, sports wear and the like.
2. Prior Art
There are known numerous fastening devices for releasably connecting opposite terminal ends of an elongate strap or belt attached to a bag or other garment articles. A typical example of one such fastening device over and relating to which the present invention contemplates an improvement is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-39285 in which it was proposed to use a fastening device in the form of a plastic snap hook engageable with a ring attached to a handbag, a sack or the like. The snap hook is comprised of a base member having at one of its ends a folded-back hook portion, at the other end a resilient plate-like tongue portion and a slider movable over and along the tongue portion between a position in which the hook is open and a position in which the hook is closed, the arrangement being that the slider is urged by the resilient force of the tongue normally toward the hook to close the latter and moved by the wearer's fingers against the tension of the tongue retractively away from the hook to open the latter. Since the slider is arranged to reciprocate with its lower peripheral wall protruding beyond the lower surface of the base member, the portion of the snap hook at which the slider is connected to the base member becomes objectionably thick and bulky making the whole device look unsightly, a disadvantage particularly where the snap hook is used in connection with a ladies' shoulder-bag or similar ornamental garment article. Another drawback of the prior art device is that since the plate-like tongue yields a relatively strong resilient action upon the slider to urge the latter into snapping engagement with the hook, so much finger pressure is required to retract the slider away from the hook to provide an opening for inserting therethrough the connecting ring of the bag.